What is the material of ERC clip?
Jan 28, 2026
A rail clip is a spring steel retainer designed to press the rail foot firmly onto the rail seat, ensuring stable gauge control and preventing rail uplift caused by dynamic axle loads and braking forces. Its elastic behavior enables long-term fastening reliability compared with rigid fasteners.
GNEE RAIL provides fastening solutions using E-Type clips, SKL tension clips, Nabla spring blade fasteners, Pandrol PR clips, KPO bolted clamps, Deenik clips, Fast Clip systems, crane rail clips, and Russian-standard clips, serving light rail, heavy rail, metro, and crane rail applications across international standards.
| Model | Diameter | Weight | Material |
| Type III | Ø18 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1609 | Ø16 | 0.43 kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1809 | Ø20 | 0.61kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E1813 | Ø18 | 0.62kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2001 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2007 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2009 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2039 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2055 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2056 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| E2063 | Ø20 | 0.80kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR85 Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.25kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR309A | Ø19 | 0.85kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR401 | Ø20 | 0.97kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR415 | Ø20 | 0.95kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| PR601A | Ø20 | 1.03kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 1 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 3 | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2CrA |
| SKL 12 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 38Si7 |
| SKL 14 | Ø13 | 0.53kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Special Rail Clip | Ø13 | 0.48kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Russia Rail Clip | Ø18 | 0.58kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
| Deenik Clip | Ø25 | 0.49-0.68kg/pc | 60Si2MnA |
What is the material of ERC clip?
Elastic Rail Clips (ERC) are manufactured from high-strength, hot-forged silico-manganese spring steel (typically Grade 55Si7 or EN-45), designed to withstand high fatigue and provide consistent clamping force. These steel rods are processed through heating, forming, hardening, and tempering to meet stringent railway standards (like RDSO) for durability.
In manufacturing, ERC clips are formed by hot or cold bending of spring steel bars, followed by quenching and tempering to obtain a martensitic structure with high yield strength and excellent elastic recovery. After heat treatment, surface protection is applied to improve corrosion resistance, especially for coastal, mining, and heavy-haul environments where moisture and chemical exposure accelerate rusting.
| Standard System | Steel Grade | Typical Tensile Strength (MPa) | Yield Strength (MPa) | Main Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB / TB (China) | 60Si2MnA | ≥ 1500 | ≥ 1300 | High elastic limit, excellent fatigue resistance, widely used in mainline railways |
| EN 10089 (Europe) | 55Cr3 | ≥ 1500 | ≥ 1250 | Good hardenability, stable spring performance, suitable for high-speed and metro |
| ASTM (USA) | ASTM A401 spring steel | ≥ 1450 | ≥ 1200 | High-carbon alloy spring steel, strong resilience, used in heavy-haul tracks |
| DIN 17221 | 50CrV4 | ≥ 1500 | ≥ 1300 | Superior fatigue life, suitable for high-load fastening systems |
Which material is the most durable for ERC?
High-grade spring steel (specifically hot-forged grades like 60Si2MnA, 55Si2Mn, and 38Si7) is the most durable material for elastic rail clips, offering superior elasticity, high fatigue resistance, and strength. These materials, often hardened to 42-47HRC, are chosen for their ability to withstand heavy, repeated loading and harsh environments.
- Top Materials: The best materials are silicon-manganese (60Si2Mn, 55Si2Mn) and silicon-chromium (60Si2CrA) alloy steels, which provide exceptional comprehensive properties, including high yield strength and corrosion resistance.
| Material | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| Chemical composition(%) | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.60-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80,Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00,Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
- Manufacturing Process: Hot forging is critical for durability, producing a uniform microstructure that ensures long-term elasticity and prevents premature breakage.
- Key Properties: These materials ensure that clips retain their shape and tension (often bearing sim 2tons of force) under high axle loads.
- Common Grades: 60Si2MnA is frequently used for its excellent, consistent performance in harsh, high-pressure environments.
GNEE RAIL supplies E rail clips, SKL rail clips, Nabla types rail clips, KPO rail clips, and other customized types of rail clips,these rail clips are designed with high precision and made up of premium grade spring steel. GNEE has been the largest and most competitive production base of rail clip in China after more than 18 years' rail clip producing experience, and have qualification to tender nationally large and medium scaled rail projects. What's more, our rail clip can be customized according to clients' requirements.
